The present invention generally relates to the field of sugarcane harvesting and, more particularly, presents sugarcane harvesting apparatus and system for gathering, defoliating, cutting, and off loading raw, green, clean sugarcane. The invention eliminates the need for pre-burning the cane field prior to cutting and employs a high-pressure water jet cutting system and an onboard waste collection and disposal system.
There has been an increase in demand in recent years for environmentally safe harvesting methods and equipment to be utilized in the growing and harvesting of sugarcane. Current sugarcane harvesting methods employ mechanical harvesters that utilize blade cutters for cutting the stalks of sugarcane. The width and frequent dullness of these rotating cutting blades tear rather than cut the cane stalk thereby destabilizes the sugar cane root system. In an effort to facilitate loading of the cut sugar cane, it is common to burn the field either before harvesting while the sugar cane is standing (extremely high flames associated with large fires and smoke clouds) to facilitate harvesting with a combine, or after cutting to burn the leaves from the sugarcane stalks in order to facilitate loading with the conventional sugar cane loading equipment. After the sugarcane is cut, the fields are often burned to remove any residual cane stalks and stubble remaining in the field. Field burning, whether before or after the sugarcane harvest, has a harmful effect on the environment in that the burning produces clouds of smoke, ash and dust that are detrimental to air quality, create health hazards, reduce ozone, impede traffic, and create an environmental nuisance.
The present invention and system is designed to eliminate the necessity of burning cane fields both before and after the cane harvest and consequently presents an environmentally preferred alternative to current sugarcane harvesting devices. The invention and system includes a harvester chassis having a conventional propulsion means such as a diesel engine and/or hydraulic motors, transmissions, drive shafts, axles and wheel assemblies.
Mounted on the harvester chassis is a plurality of harvest chambers. Each harvest chamber has a V-shaped entrance for receiving a row of sugarcane stalks and a series of revolving resilient conveyor belts for grabbing, holding and feeding the sugarcane through the harvest chamber in a substantially upright position. Within each harvest chamber, at selected locations, is a plurality of blower nozzles (infinitely adjustable both in azimuth and angle) for directing high velocity streams of air (either direct or cyclone) on to the sugarcane stalks to remove the stems and leaves from the stalks of sugarcane. At the base of each harvest chamber is a plurality of lower vacuum or suction openings connected to a suction motor for removing by vacuum the leaves and stems from the harvest chamber and for delivering the leaves and stems removed to a foliage collection area having a xe2x80x9ckill chamberxe2x80x9d for decomposition of the leaves and stems.
Also positioned within the harvest chamber at selected locations are upper and lower cutting mechanisms. The upper cutting mechanism is intended to trim the top of the sugarcane stalks to an even height. The lower cutting mechanism is intended to cut the sugarcane stalks at their base. A plurality of upper vacuum or suction openings connected to a suction motor are positioned toward the top of the harvest chamber to remove by vacuum the leaves and stems cut from the top of the sugarcane stalks and for delivering the cut leaves and stems so removed to the foliage collection area.
As the sugarcane stalks are being cut and thereafter, they are grabbed and moved through the chamber by means of the revolving resilient conveyor belts to a collection bay for subsequent transfer to collection vehicles and ultimately to a grinding mill or other desired location. Additional cutters may be included within the harvest chamber to cut the sugarcane stalks to desired lengths to facilitate their delivery to the mill.
In applicant""s invention the desired cutting device for both the upper and lower cutting mechanisms are hydraulic jets for delivering needle-like streams of water or other desired fluid at high pressure for cutting the stalks. The hydraulic jets are supplied by on-board water reservoirs and pumps mounted on the chassis of the harvester. Collection troughs and pumping means are provided to collect and deliver the residual fluids produced from the jets back to the reservoirs for reuse. The water used for the jets may be treated with fertilizers, insecticides, preservatives or other such chemicals as may be required to facilitate the growing, harvesting and processing of the sugarcane stalks. Fine grit abrasives may be added to the water or other cutting fluid to facilitate cutting. While it is thought that the harvester will best be served by cutting jets, alternative cutting devices for both the upper and lower cutting mechanisms such as cutting lasers or rotating blades could also be utilized as either the upper and lower cutting means described herein.
The foliage collection area is mounted toward the rear of the harvester for receiving the leaves, stems and other debris removed by vacuum from the harvest chambers. The debris so collected is transferred to a shredding assembly and ultimately to a recycling assembly for decomposition by closed incineration or other decomposing means. The incinerated or otherwise decomposed debris is then delivered back to the field. The delivery of the decomposed debris may be accomplished by injection means or by blowing the decomposed pelletized debris into the soil. The harvester may be fitted with a pelletizing device to compact the decomposed debris into small pellets to minimize the force needed for injection.
Also mounted on the chassis, for incorporation into the harvester and system, is a means for providing hydraulic or electrical power to activate a plurality of harvesting equipment, blowers, vacuums, conveyors, elevators and other accessories that may be incorporated into the harvester.